Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to labels, and in particular to a laminated label strip for use as a wrap, such as a wrap for a napkin, ice cream cone or similar item.
2. Background of the Invention
Paper or other disposable sheet material wraps are often used in restaurants to hold a paper or cloth napkin wrapped around the silverware at a place setting. Similar wraps are used to wrap around an ice cream cone or other food item for sanitation, increased strength, etc. Such wraps are typically a strip of paper with a cohesive applied to areas at opposite ends of the strip and on opposite sides of the strip, so that when the wrap is wrapped around the napkin, ice cream cone, etc., the two areas of cohesive are brought into contact with one another to hold the wrap shut. As is well known, a cohesive is an adhesive that sticks to itself, but does not stick to most other materials.
Such wraps have typically been a single ply of paper or other sheet material which may or may not bear printing. The present invention aims to take advantage of promotional and entertainment opportunities presented by such a wrap.
The present invention provides a label wrap which is a strip of sheet material having a first side and a second side opposite from the first side, and a first end and a second end opposite from the first end. The strip is made up of first and second sheets, each having an outward facing side and an inward facing side. The inward facing sides of the first and second sheets are releasably joined by an adhesive and a first area of cohesive is applied to the first side adjacent to the first end of the strip and a second area of cohesive is applied to second side adjacent to the second end of the strip. Thereby, the first and second areas of cohesive can be joined to form a ring.
The label wrap of the present invention can be used to provide a napkin wrap, ice cream cone wrap or other food or non-food related sheet material wrap, wade up of at least two plies, including a top sheet and a base sheet, in which the two plies are laminated together releasably. Preferably, the lamination of the two plies is accomplished with a dry residue adhesive such that the adhered together surfaces of the two plies are non-tacky after the top ply is removed from the base ply. Printing may be provided on all four surfaces. The label wrap, for example, can be used to present a game to the user or to present the user with coupons.
The end areas on opposite sides of the label are coated with the cohesive so that when the label is wrapped around an item, the two cohesive areas can be brought into contact with one another to hold the label wrap closed.
One of the sheets of the label wrap can be divided into first and second parts, with the cohesive coating the outer surface of one of the parts, wherein the first part is not adhered to the first sheet at one corner. Both parts can be releasably adhered to the other sheet so that both parts can be peeled off. Alternatively, the cohesive coated part can be permanently adhered to the other sheet so that only one part of the sheet can be peeled off. In either case, at one corner of the label wrap the first and second sheet are preferably not joined together, thereby providing a pull tab for the user to easily separate the sheets.
The invention thus provides a simple and inexpensive label wrap particularly designed for use as a napkin wrap, ice cream cone wrap, or similar wrap. The label wrap can include printing on both sides of each sheet thereby maximizing space for promotional or other indicia.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and drawings.